Michael Bay’s box office juggernaught is now officially the biggest film ever released by Paramount Pictures with a giant robot sized 1 billion dollars (and counting!). If you have been on the moon and missed the fuss, check out the official movie site, the event advertising, play the Decepticon Descent Game, bring the war onto the web with Webwars or download the Augmented Reality iPhone App here.
After Super openings around the world, digital campaign highlights included global sneak Twitter screenings that ramped up the hype online. Check out what fans are saying at #Super8 on Twitter.
The Train Crash scene set up the mystery and The Editing Room viral invited bloggers to unlock the shocking truth behind the cargo on the train.
Finally www.gonnabemint.com is now live across Europe. Be inspired to have a filmmaking adventure of your own & explore clips, radio broadcasts, artefacts and applications that put you at the heart of the Super 8 experience. Subscribe on Tumblr for updates in real time from all your favourite social and mobile devices.
First Avenger has now crossed the $100m mark internationally and has won rave reviews from fan boys & general audiences. Explore the amazingly slick official site and whet your appetite further with a range of clips. Check out the advertising kit and uber cool propaganda posters . Still want to become a super soldier? Sign up for Project Rebirth and see if you have what it takes to become a captain of your country!
Check out this summer’s most original blockbuster from Iron Man director, Jon Favreau. Visit the immersive movie site and like the official Facebook page for all the latest updates and take the movie mash up quiz. Why not test your shooting skills at the online and mobile Absolution Training Grounds and get all the scoops behind the scenes with the interactive trailer. The stellar cast have contributed to a fantastic range of A-list online featurettes.
And finally, here’s what happens when you mash up internet sensation Freddie Wong with Cowboys, Aliens and Jon Favreau. A spectacularly off beat and impressive viral.
It’s time to cut #Footloose! Craig Brewers remake of the 80’s classic is nearly here, check out the latest foot stomping trailer. Practice, record and upload your moves at the UGC official site and catch Kenny Wormald encouraging users to vote on their favourite routine! Sign up to the Facebook page for all the latest news!
Martin Scorcese’s 3D live-action film is based on the Brian Selznick bestseller “The Invention of Hugo Cabret”. Get a snippet of the magical action by watching the trailer at the official site.
Your mission should you choose to accept it is to watch the latest trailer which trended on Twitter within hours of launching online. It’s a mighty teaser for the franchise reboot and available at the official site with links to all the global movie sites!
The scariest horror franchise of all time is back. View the terrifying new trailer on the official and sinister movie site. Be warned… nothing is as it seems.
Capitalising on the recent Comicon buzz, global webmasters were invited to attend an amazing TINTIN press event in New Zealand to meet Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg, get behind the scenes of WETA studios’ remarkable technology and see exclusive 3D footage. Check out the breaks; Your Movies, AICN and IGN.
TINTIN was one of the most buzzed about events coming out of Comic-Con.Read more about what happened over at Empire. With news of Jurassic Park 4 and rumours of a new Ghostbusters movie on the horizon this year’s San Diego extravaganza was one of the biggest ever. Variety’s comprehensive coverage is a great resource for those not lucky enough to attend.
The Harry Potter franchise has finally drawn to a close and with it the marketing juggernaut. To push this goliath of a movie Warner Bros. launched the official site, with a Parseltongue translator, Online Quest, Muggle Hub, extensive Facebook campaign & App, Youtube Channel, iPhone App to list just a few of their online activities. For a more comprehensive review of the marketing activity check out MMM’s coverage.
After the success of the campaign for THE DARK KNIGHT, Warner Bros. are back with the next instalment of the BATMAN franchise and its accompanying marketing campaign. WebProNews has compiled the first few pieces of activity, which includes a code-cracking Twitter mechanic which revealed the first promotional image, and a set of videos which may or may not be part of the “official” plan. Along with the official site and teaser trailer the marketing campaign is kicking into gear ahead of the 2012 release.
The prequel to the X-Men franchise was launched by 20th Century Fox with a high-impact official site, X-Men Extra iPad magazine, elaborate Facebook cast and crew engagement, Youtube Channel, and amazingly by writing giant ‘X’s in the sky.
Certainly a mouthful of a film title but a succinct online marketing campaign from 20th Century Fox. With the official site, 3D breakout Youtube channel, Apes with AK47s viral videos and extended scenes, all helping propel the movie to a great opening weekend.
Disney Pixar has moved on from animation to used car sales for its marketing campaign for the release of Cars 2. The faux advertisement features Cars N’ Deals of Emeryville, an apparently retro 1980’s ad which in fact contains many hints as to the content of the flick. This sees some subtle animated interludes play in the background alongside some hidden Easter eggs, including a URL to an exclusive clip of the movie secreted away within the scenery. More traditional marketing includes the official site, numerous fun flash games and more impressively a virtual world.
Warner Bros. has tied up with America’s Milk Processors with the intention of encouraging America’s youths to drink more milk whilst simultaneously promoting the domestic theatrical release of GREEN LANTERN. What’s most interesting about this game is that it uses augmented reality and a motion-capture mechanic gameplay. Mashable has more and you can try it for yourself here. It’s also worth looking at the movie’s official website which is full of interactive features. Or perhaps you could join Green Lantern Boot Camp…
More from Warner this month who tied up with Mike Tyson’s “Main Event” iPhone app game, created a new game level and integrated a trailer and ticket purchasing function, all in support of the theatrical release of THE HANGOVER PART II. This is an interesting way to leverage the popularity of mobile gaming and its existing and relevant captive audience to promote a film release. More at Mashable…
Mashable has published an article championing how Hollywood is using social video campaigns in an innovate and effective way. Citing the likes of KUNG FU PANDA 2 as a highlight, this is a good case study read. On a similar note, Mashable has also published a great article on how studios are also innovating with Facebook. Read that article here.
One of the biggest stories in entertainment news was the launch of J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore, an interactive online hub for fans of the Harry Potter series. It will be interesting to see how Pottermore continues to engage Potter fans through the home entertainment release. More…
In the new Facebook game Deadline Hollywood players aim to succeed in Hollywood by follwing career paths including actor, screenwriter, producer, director, agent, and studio executive. Real-time breaking-news headlines from Deadline.com will affect game play. Published and Distributed by Paramount Digital Entertainment the game allows experienced gamers, real-life Hollywood players, movie fans, and casual users to truly experience the grit, intrigue, and rivalry of the Hollywood industry. You can read about the game here or try it for yourself.
Empire Magazine has recently rolled out a paid for iPad version of the monthly film title, a first for Bauer Media. This opens up opportunities for studios to create immersive and interactive marketing and advertising campaigns, specifically for this format. Brand Republic has more…
At gaming conference E3, Microsoft previewed several new features to its motion-controlled Kinect software for Xbox 360, as well as announcing details of a revamp to Xbox Live. This will include voice-activated commands and web search through Microsoft’s search engine Bing, integration with YouTube, and live TV partnerships with the likes of Sky. Microsoft then followed this up by showcasing a variety of ways in which advertisers can utilise the new technology to target gamers. The Hollywood reporter has more…
Kinect sensors’ now capture facial and head movements and allow you to have a fully controlled avatar within Xbox live communities. Read about its possibilities here.
“Social Commerce” is something of a buzz phrase at the moment, and these past months has seen many brands and services open up commerce channels through social media. Marketing Magazine has reported on how the Odeon cinema chain is looking at ways of selling cinema tickets through Facebook, whilst O2 is now allowing users to top up their PAYG mobile handsets via a Facebook app. It’s only a matter of time before movie merchandise appears for sale directly via social channels…
Ever reliable Mashable has an interesting article highlighting 7 Winning Examples of Game Mechanics in Action. Gamification is the use of game thinking and game mechanics to engage audiences and solve problems. In other words, it means taking the best lessons from games like FarmVille, World of Warcraft and Angry Birds, and using them in business.
Also on a commerce theme, Mashable has reported on the rise of e-commerce through tablet devices such as Apple’s iPad, predicting a surge in people buying and selling through this channel – yet another retail platform for marketers to consider.
Receiving a large amount of Internet buzz recently, Quora is essentially a questions and answers service where users can ask questions and receive crowd-sourced and (often expert) responses. Currently, there are few brands using Quora but it will be interesting to see how the service develops and what opportunities become available.
Google have been busy… Last month saw the launch of Google Plus, the search giants stride into social and Facebook challenger. With much fanfare Mashable reports the network has already attracted 20m users. You can read more about Google Plus and its features here… Also, read how Google Plus is battling Facebook for video enabled chat. In addition, Google rolled out its +1 button, encouraging users to recommend and share web content with peers. Find out more about Google +1 on the official Google blog…
An extension of Google Street View, the Google Art Project allows users to enter and explore virtual versions of some of the world’s most famous museums and art galleries. Find out more at Contagious and take a look for yourself at www.googleartproject.com.
Changes also to the Social Search functionality with content from social media appearing mixed with search results, giving users a more personal and relevant search experience. Read on…
They have also created a set of tools for developers to help them optimise content for Google TV, opening up yet another channel for content distribution. More at ReadWriteWeb…
That not enough for you? Check out the mobile section for more Google news…
Reports in Q2 alleged that the social giant had a decline in users from the US. This was heavily refuted by Facebook, but shows mature markets will need innovation to keep the vast user base happy. Globally growth in emerging markets continues to swell Facebook users to over 750m worldwide.
In other news, Facebook announced plans for deeper integration with Spotify and video service Skype and Mashable compiled a list of its top 5 campaigns utilising Places. Be inspired here. Sponsored Stories are amplifying the media owned and earned potential of social.
After Disney launched a Facebook application in the US last year to sell movie tickets, other brands are finding innovative ways to use the platform commercially. Facebook Deals launched in the UK and saw Starbucks users ‘check in’ for rewards. Fashion website ASOS launched a shop within a Facebook app, and Fashion brand Diesel used in-store QR codes to generate Facebook likes
Twitter launched an official ‘Follow’ button, allowing users to follow tweets of companies from their own website. Twitter also updated its search functionality and announced it will launch its own photo sharing service. Finally, Twitter reported that advertisers are seeing excellent engagement rates, with 80% advertisers coming back for more. Read more at The Wall…
Here is the Twitterverse – a handy visual representation of apps, platforms and sites all linked in with Twitter – and 50 Social Media Facts from 2010 to keep you up to date.
There have been two great sources of social media stats this month in the form of an updated video from Socialnomics and a UK social media census infographic. Both are excellent resources to keep you up to speed on the most important numbers in social.
Location-based check-in service Foursquare continues to go from strength to strength with a reported 10m users to its name. Foursquare has charted its astonishing 3,400% growth in 2010 with an infographic which even shows the top movie check-ins for last year. Take a look here.
Also in user number news, mobile photo sharing app Instagram has hit 5m users, with almost 100m photos posted to date; not bad for an app that’s been around for less than a year. More here… Also, this excellent blog cites examples of how Instagram has been used by brands such as ASOS and Burberry.
YouTube launched a logo-less version of its video player for brands using the player on their own websites. Find out more at the official YouTube blog… Additionally, they’ve launched a new way to create 3D video content using Nvidia. More here. Secondly, Variety reported YouTube is looking to offer longer form content. Finally, TechCrunch reported that YouTube’s mobile traffic tripled in 2010. YouTube is also expanding content available on its Android app with a music video partnership with VEVO. Read on…
GetGlue, the check-in service for the entertainment industry, has announced that it is receiving over 12 million check-ins and ratings from its 900,000 user base each month. Read on…
According to emarketer, recent research indicates that social networking sites are the best place for marketers to target women, whilst women bloggers are apparently key tastemakers online. With Wikipedia seeking out more female contributors, 2011 looks set to see a distinctly female presence online.
Mashable has reported on how the Internet is now the most used source of news for young people in the USA, a trend that is likely to follow suit across other markets. More…
Econsultancy has published some interesting statistics based on recent SEO research, looking at Natural and Paid search. For example, only 5% of respondents said they would always click on a paid search results, compared to 37% for natural. Find out more…
Apple unveiled iCloud – Apple’s digital storage solution that will sync all users apps wirelessly. Read an overview of the conference at cnet News, or take a look at Mobile Marketing Magazine’s more user friendly explanation.
Although Apple commissioned this research and do say so themselves…a recent campaign from Campbell’s soup suggests the iAd format cooked up a successful recipe. Read more here.
Google’s latest version of its Google Goggles app can now not just recognise and scan barcodes, but also objects and even ads, pointing users to search results or specific URLs. This offers a wealth of opportunities for marketers to utilise print and outdoor ads to cross-over with mobile activity. Read more at Advertising Age…
They’ve also launched its shopping application Google Shopper for iPhone, giving users yet another way to search and buy online and find local retailers. More at Mashable.
Conversation Mode, an update to its Google Translate app for Android, can translate speech in real time, an invaluable service for travellers and multi-lingual businesses. Read more and see a video of it in action at Gizmodo. Finally, Google has updated its location-based service Latitude to make it even easier for people to interact by introducing check-ins, just like Foursquare and Facebook Places. Read on…
Apple has reported that it now has over 500,000 apps approved for its app store. 37% of these are free to download, and it has been predicted that 15 million apps will be downloaded in this year alone. Find out more here…
Consumers are spending more time on mobile apps than on the web for the first time, a new report claims.
GSMArena has published an interesting infographic on global mobile phone usage. Key findings include the fact that the majority of people use their phone as an alarm clock, very few people make video calls, and that 4 out of 5 females send texts every day. Find out more…
Upstream has undertaken some research into mobile marketing and the receptiveness of people to advertising messages through a mobile channel. Take a look at the results, including a positive 65% people open to receiving offers, here…
IAB Europe published findings that online ad spend is diverting to mobile display, driven by the explosion in smartphone penetration. At the same time, comScore research from the US indicates that the number of advertisers using mobile display ads has more than doubled in the past year.
Android Reach continues to grow but Apple is not giving up the fight just yet… Googles app downloads reach another milestone and a web-based version of its Android app store helps brands publicise apps. More here. Finally, HTC announced its new, made-for-gaming tablet, the HTC Flyer. Take a look here…
As discussed at CES, Mashable has reported on how the take up of Twitter on mobile platforms has led to 4 in 10 tweets originating from a mobile device.
Adverblog has previewed a work-in-progress augmented reality app which turns the real world into movie guide, further bridging the gap between entertainment and reality. Find out more and view a demo video here…
Axe has done something a bit different with its latest online advertising campaign by using Google Maps for a simple, personalised experience, all set within an MPU. This concept ties in with Axe’s iAd format which has interactive features to make it feel more like an app experience than an ad.
Apple Japan has produced a nice ad built entirely in HTML5, meaning that it will work across Apple platforms as well as online. Take a look at the demo here and consider how building creative using HTML5 can open up opportunities to place ads across multiple platforms.
Gol Airlines has run a clever digital and mobile campaign which enables users to control a virtual airplane on screen using their mobile phone, all starting with a simple online banner campaign. See how this was achieved here.
One of the most talked about Facebook campaigns in the past few months is Intel’s ‘The Museum of Me’ which uses Facebook Connect to create a beautiful, personalised virtual gallery experience for users. If you haven’t already, try it for yourself here.
How do bands release albums in the digital age? British band Kaiser Chiefs shunned traditional distribution models and opted for an online solution where users create their own album and can make money from it. Find out more on the band’sofficial website. Taking it even further is Washington DC’s Bluebrain, released their new album through a location-aware app where users can only hear the songs if they are in the right part of the city. Mashable has more…
Sony used E3 to announce PlayStation Vita, its new handheld console which will be compatible with PlayStation network. Not to be outdone, Nintendo also previewed its update to Wii. The Wii U will allow users to continue playing games, even when their TV is switched off. More on Wii U on the official Nintendo E3 launch site.
Icann has announced that brands will be eligible to apply for their own domain suffixes at the beginning of next year. Read more here…
